Over $7.0 million was invested in the company’s patented, proprietary technologies; the majority of which was provided by John E. Langdon, the founder.
PGI successfully constructed and tested a prototype of the PGI System at Western Research Institute (WRI) in Laramie, Wyoming. This $5 million test facility was funded, designed, and built by a partnership between PGI, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”), the U.S. Department of Energy, and WRI. The prototype facility was a 1.5 MW unit constructed for proof of concept of PGI’s pressurized, direct-fired technology, with waste wood as a fuel source.
On October 14, 2005, PGI sold its assets to Zilkha Biomass Power, LLC, of Houston, Texas, in exchange for a 20% Class “B” interest. The Zilkha Biomass Energy website can be accessed at www.zilkhabiomass.com
Significant portions of the underlying technology for the PGI System are protected by patents. PGI initially obtained U.S. Patent No. 4,409,786, issued in 1983, which disclosed a system and method providing for the complete combustion and pyrolysis of wood particles or other combustible fibrous particles at a continuous high rate. More recently, PGI obtained four additional patents.
In addition to its U.S. patent portfolio, PGI received (and also assigned to Zilkha) foreign patents in Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. One patent is still pending in Japan. PGI’s intellectual property also consisted of trade secrets and other knowledge that PGI chose not to patent, which was also assigned to Zilkha.
Patent & Licensing History of PGI
Over the years, PGI developed patents and trade secrets. Significant portions of the underlying technology for the PGI System are protected by patents. The Company initially obtained U.S. Patent No. 4,409,786, issued in 1983, and now in the public domain, which disclosed a system and method providing for the complete combustion and pyrolysis of wood particles or other combustible fibrous particles at a continuous high rate. Over the intervening years, PGI obtained four additional patents and a significant amount of proprietary data.
In addition to its U.S. patent portfolio, PGI received patents in Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, with one patent still pending in Japan.
The Company engaged Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP to file additional patents based on a modified engineering design at the Wyoming beta site. PGI’s intellectual property also involved trade secrets and other proprietary data that the Company chose not to patent.
PGI actively supports the clean air initiatives in Texas and elsewhere.
ALL PGI TECHNOLOGY, PATENTS AND KNOW-HOW WERE SOLD TO ZILKHA BIOMASS ENERGY, LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN EXCHANGE FOR A 20% CLASS B INTEREST IN OCTOBER OF 2005. THE ZILKHA BIOMASS ENERGY, LLC WEBSITE CAN BE ACCESSED AT www.zilkhabiomass.com.